November 4, 1901.}
it was some fifteen minutes later that the lower-
ing of the Chinese flag on the Bayern intimated the Prince's departure for the shore. At the same time, the warships in the Harbour ran up the Chinese colours and fired a Royal salute.
By this time the crowd in the neighbourhood of the Pier was very dense and comprised a good representation of Europeans. Quite a number of these carried hand-cameras and the spectators so armed showed a tendency to encroach upon the Pier itself-which was being kept clear by the police-in their endeavour to secure good standpoints for a snapshot. police however showed no sympathy for them in their efforts to get a good picture" of the Chinese Prince. Excellent order was maintained at the Pier and along the line of route by a body of police, European, Indian, and Chinese, to the number of about 50, under the command of Mr. A. Mackie, Acting Deputy Captain Superintendent, and Mr. G. Kemp, Acting Chief Inspector.
The
Upon his arrival at Blake Pier at five minutes to three o'clock, Prince Chun was received by Lieutenant Blake, A.D.C., and took his seat in the state chair, green-coloured with yellow facings, which had been sent down to the Pier for his conveyance to Government House. A guard of eight Indian constables under Ser- geant Garrod having closed in upon the Royal chair, and the A. D. C. having taken his seat in another chair behind, the procession moved off towards Government House, preceded by the Chinese mandarins and the Prince's suite. The streets en route were crowded with spectators. mostly Chinese, all anxious to get a glimpse of His Highness. But this was by no means an easy thing to do, for the Prince's features were scarcely discernible in the shade of his curtained chair.
At Government House, the Prince was formally received by His Excellency the Governor and the Colonial Secretary.
After remaining at Government House for some time, His Highness was carried to Con- naught House and was there entertained to a banquet by the leading Chinese of the Colony. About half-past six the Prince returned to Government House, where dinner was served at eight o'clock, and a number of leading Colonial, Naval and Military officials, and civilian residents were invited to meet him. After dinner Prince Chun returned to the Bayern.
The Shanghai mandarins are making great preparations for receiving Prince Chun, who is expected to arrive there next Saturday. He will reside in the Foreign Office in the Bubbling Well Road, the same as he did before he started for Germany.-Daily Press, 31st October.
His Imperial Highness Prince Chun left Hongkong on the 31st ult. on board the German mail steamer Bayern for the North. The Prince's movements during his visit to Hongkong have already been briefly recorded in these columns. On landing shortly before three o'clock on Wednesday, His Highness was carried to Government House and received by H.E. the Governor. There he partook of tea and smoked a cigarette, after which he repaired to Connaught House to meet the Chinese merchants of the Colony. Arriving there at half-past four, he was received on the first floor by Mr. Fung Wa Chun, who conducted him to the drawing-room. Here light refreshment was served. In conversation His Highness said he was very much pleased with the way in which he had been welcomed to Hongkong. At five o'clock, an adjournment was made to the dining-room where a banquet was served, covers being laid for 100 guests, and it was noted with satisfaction by his Chinese entertainers, as a proof of his recovery from recent illness, that His Highness showed a good appetite. Mr. Liao Tsz Shan, of the Chinese Merchants Association, proposed the health of the Dowager Empress and the Emperor. Mr. Fung Wa Chun proposed that of Prince Chun, and in doing so wished His Highness a pleasant voyage back to the North and the best of health. In responding, Prince Chun thanked his entertainers very much for their kind invitation and their hospitable reception. He had enjoyed himself very much and could not find words to express his gratitude for it all. He had been received very well by British and Chinese alike.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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361
STONECUTTERS' ISLAND,
As His Highness had arranged to dine with H.E. the Governor at eight o'clock, he withdrew THE VOLUNTEER CAMP AT from the party, and with his suite went to Government Honse at half-past six o'clock. Here he was received by His Excellency, and introduced to the guests who had been asked to meet him at dinner. These included Major General Sir W. Gascoigne, K.C.M.G., and Lady Gascoigne; His Honour A. G. Wise, Acting Chief Justice; Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary, and Mrs. Lockhart; Hon. T. H. Whitehead, Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, Rear Admiral SirJ. Bruce and Lady Bruce. Sir Thomas Jackson, Sir Chentung Liang, K.C.M.G. (who received his title on the occasion of Her late Majesty's Jubilee), Major Beresford-Ash and Mrs. Beresford-Ash, Lady Brownrigg. Dr. Mark, Mr. Chang, Colonel the Hon. R. H. Bertie, C.B., Colonel Brown, R.E.. Lieut. Wrottesley, Captain White, Captain Warren, Mr. Ponsonby, Captain Pagett, R.N., and Lieut.. Blake. A.D.C. Dinner was served in the large dining room. The Prince proposed the health of King Edward in Chinese, and his speech was interpreted by Sir Chentung Liang, K.C.M.G., and His Excellency the Governor proposed the health of the Em. peror. These were all the toasts. The time was spent in conversation until 11.15, at which honr His Highness left and went on board the Bayern.-Daily Press, 1st November.
LAUNCH SEIZED BY PIRATES.
Particulars have now come to hand of
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On Friday, the 25th ult. the camp was very quiet. H.E. the Governor, who was the guest of the officers, arrived at Stonecutters' about 8 p.m. and was received by a guard of honour provided by "D" Company. The band also attended, and discoursed appropriate music. It was generally expected that a concert would be given, and as this belief had extended beyond the limits of the camp there was a fair turn-out of visitors Disappointment, however, was in store for them, and this experience was shared by the men of the Volunteer Corps, many of whom had made a special point of attending camp in order to be present at the concert. His Excellency and the officers of the Corps, however, did not finish dinner until ten o'clock, when the men, who had previously been asked to postpone the concert, were at liberty to proceed. But the affair was a fiasco, for before it was properly set going the whistle of the last launch for Hongkong warned the few visitors who had waited that it was time to go. Excellency and most of the officers graced the proceedings with their presence for about ten minutes, and then withdrew. A few of the officers remained to hearten the "sing-song," and as an extension of time had been granted, half an-bour was pleasantly spent. Lights were extinguished soon after the departure of H.E. the Governor, and the camp rested again to prepare for the labours of another day.
His
On Saturday, the 26th, all units paraded short- after half-past two and crossed in launches
the seizure hy pirates of the launch to Lai-chi-kok, where some excellent shooting Ut Fat which, as already reported in the was put in. The Field Battery practice was Daily Press, went astray from Macao on capital. and the marksmanship reflected highly Tnesday night. The Ut Fat is owned by on the thorough training the unit has received. Cheung Po, 36, Wing Kat Street, and has been | H.E. Major-General Gascoigne, K.C.M.G. running regularly for some time past between accompanied by the officers of his staff, watched Hongkong and Fung Chung and Tai O. the firing with interest. During the course carrying goods for the shop-keepers there and of the day Major Bryant, in command of the bringing back fish to this Colony. On Tuesday Volunteer Corps had a rather unpleasant ex- night on her arrival at Tai O, and after pas perience. He fell between a launch and the sengers and cargo had been discharged, the pier at Stonecutters', and was rescued not with- captain and two members of the crew went out difficulty. A Sikh pulled him out of the on shore, leaving nine men on board. Shortly water. afterwards a party of Chinese, variously At night another impromptu concert took described as consisting of from twenty to thirty place, and was productive of perhaps even persons, came off in boats, boarded the better talent than usual. A good number of launch and overpowered the crew at visitors were present, and everything was done least such is the story told by the latter. to make their stay a pleasant one.
Some At any rate the crew were battened down of the visitors helped in the entertainment, with the exception of the engineer and two Messrs. W. G. Worcester and A. H. Barlow stokers, whose services the pirates took being notable successes. advantage of for the running of the launch, enforcing their commands by means of loaded revolvers.
On Sunday, the 27th was, so far as all practical work was concerned, the last day of the camp. After early drill, all units assembled for church Troops, preached, and the service was attended parade. The Rev. E. J. Hardy, Chaplain to the by H.E. Major-General Gascoigne and staff. The general inspection took place shortly after eleven o'clock. There was a good muster of men's accoutrements was over, the parade was the Corps, and when the examination of the formed into three sides of a square and addressed by Major-General Gascoigne.
they ordered the engineer to steam up the When the pirates had secured the crew river. That order he had to obey. A cir- cumstance which goes to show that the whole affair was preconcerted was that on her way which transferred to her a fresh stock of fuel. to the river the launch was met by a coal-boat Doubt prevails, in fact, as to whether the pirates and the crew were not in league. But of the engineer and the stokers were kept be that as it may, the crew, with the exception HIS EXCELLENCY, who spoke briefly, as he
under hatch by the pirates until they were nearly at Taiping, when by some chance the launch ran aground. Fearing the danger of capture, the pirates speedily scurried off, and the imprisoned crew engineer and the stokers. The pirates in their were released by the hurried flight took no time to sack the craft. Except for some trifling articles it seems that all the fittings, &c., are intact.
did not wish to keep the men in the sun, said he was highly pleased with the muster and with the smart appearance of the Corps, which seemed every year to be growing better. This was a most gratifying, sign, for when His the Command of the Troops, it was a very Excellency arrived in the Colony to take over serious question with him whether or not to keep the Volunteer Corps in the defence force of the Colony. However, by its zeal When the tide rose the lannch was floated off in the direction of becoming efficient the the shore, was navigated up the river towards Corps had justified its right to be included Taiping, and was picked up later by ain that force, and it gave him great pleasure The Chinese au to say so. The Corps, continued the Major- Chinese Customs cruiser. thorities made inquiries respecting the owner-General, appeared now to be taking things with ship of the boat, and as a result she was escorted a greater amount of seriousness, and every to the Water Police Station and with her fresh camp was better than the last. Referring crew was given into the custody of Inspector to the manoeuvres at Lai-chi-kok on Satur- Riley, who on Friday brought her to Hong kong, where she now lies at the wharf. The nine men found on board were taken before Mr. F. J. Badeley, Acting Captain Superintendent of Police, and formally ex- amined. Further enquiry into the case is being made by the police.
day, His Excellency spoke in complimentary terms of the appearance made by the Corps on that occasion, and characterised it as very busi- ness-like. The work done was good, and there was no talking or fussing; everyone appeared to know what was to be done, and did it. The promptitude with which firing was commenced